October i, 18S1.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
399 
enquired for. The kinds are still grown in small quantity; but have now hcconie mixed, and are 
no longer of much value. 
Gutta Percha. — Several sorts have heen introduced, the original kind from Singapore in 
1869. 
India Rubber. — The Assam rubber tree seems to have been introduced to Peradeniya so far 
back as 1835. For the more valuable South American kinds — the Para, the Central American 
and the Ceara rubbers — Ceylon is indebted, as in so many cases, to the liberality and public spirit 
of the Indian Government, and the energy and promptitude of Kew. These wen; introduced in 
1876.* Since then some African and Malayan species have been obtained, and are growing very 
satisfactorily. 
To render this list as complete as possible, I may mention the Divi-divi, the Vegetable Ivory, 
ami I he Cow-tree of Venezuela, as trees, useful in various ways, which have been at different times 
brought into the Gardens. 
Nor should the further facilities for the cultivation of truly tropical species by the establish- 
ment of the garden at Henaratgoda be passed over in a notice of what has been done to foster 
tin acclimatization of useful plants in the Colony. This adjunct was opened in 1876, and has 
proved of great utility in enabling the Botanical Department to keep up a stock of species which 
with difficulty grew in Peradeniya. 
Appended to this Memorandum is an advertisement from one of the local Newspapers of the 
plants and seeds on sale at the Gardens in June, 1881. Such advertisements are now prepared 
quarterly by the Director, and have, it is believed, considerably tended to the spread of "new 
products" in the Colony. It will be seen that many of the above enumerated species arc included 
in (his advertisement. 
From these imperfect notes it will be readily seen how unfounded is the cry that these Gardens 
have done little or nothing towards the introduction of plants suitable for commercial culture; and 
also (even if it came within their functions), bow impossible it would be to attempt to grow 
permanently in litem large quantities ol'en.-li and all of these numerous staples. 
Peradeniya, 9th July, 1881. HENRY TRIMEN, 
Director. 
* I am desirous of taking 
duction of the valuable Para 
trouble. When the Governm 
Mr. Wickhatn, then living at 
obtaining 70,000 seeds in [he 
nal I m 
of Indii 
>rd something of the history of the intro- 
n effected at a large cost and with much 
2 enterprise, a commission was given to 
e of £10 per 1,000. He succeeded in 
he packed with the greatest care and 
.ight home with them arrived at Kew on 
i; not more however than " abont .");} per 
lmany in a few days reached a height of 
it had been previously arranged between 
sible and properly constituted Botanical 
ely tropical species, the seedlings should 
nent distributions to Burmah, and other 
mts" rapid growth, wardian cases of a 
y -eight of these, containing 
). In due course they were 
with a full kuowlei 
14th June, 1876. 
cent, germinated, s 
IS inches " — (Kew 
the India and Cole 
Garden in any pari 
be sent here to Ceylon to be cultivated and propagated for subsequent dii 
hot and moist districts of the Indian Empire. Owing to the plants' ra 
special form had to be made for their transmission, and, on August 12th, 
1,919 plants, were despatched from Kew in charge of a gardener (YV. Chaj 
teoeived at Peradeniya in very good order. 
Mr. Cross's share in the introduction of Para Rubber was a very small one. He also had been sent by 
the Indian Government to South America to bring home live plants in case the transmission of living seed 
should prove impossible, and he arrived at Kew on 21st November, 1876. lie brought with him about 1.080 
seedling* without >oil, of which, with the greatest care, searcclj three percent, could he Baved. About 
100 plant* propagated at Kew from these were subsequently sent to Ceylon. 
The COMl of procuring the seeds of Para Rubber, freight, and other expenses appears to have been no 
less than £1,505 4#. Id., the wardian cases alone costing U120, and the gardener and hi- passage, c I (>■'). The 
whole of tin- huge expenditure was borne by the Indian Government. An undertaking involving such an 
outlay OS this, it is obviously beyond the power of the Executive of this Colony to carry out ; hut in thi- 
0M8,lt ia Ceylon which (from climatic causes chiefly) appears likely to benefit most largely Iroiu the lUCCeSt* 
fill action of the Government of India, 
